January 17, 2013
Scotland

Quixwood wind farm developer offers to plant extra woodland

The Berwickshire News | 17 January 2013 | www.berwickshirenews.co.uk

Views from the Southern Upland Way will be protected from the proposed 13 turbine Quixwood Moor wind farm by an extra one and half hectares of woodland along the route.

The additional woodland is the latest offering by developers Banks Renewables, in their efforts to get approval for the windfarm.

Their planning application is still on the table, most recent changes to it being: a reduction in the number of turbines from 14 to 13; the height of three of the turbines to 100m; and the remaining ten to 115m, down from 126.5m.

The additional woodland has been welcomed by Pip Tabor, project manager at the Southern Uplands Partnership (SUP).

He said: “As a developer, Banks Renewables has worked hard to engage with local communities and they appear to have listened to the questions that have been raised and reacted positively.

“Banks Renewables has engaged with members of the local community including the SUP to create a plan for a wind farm which will seek to ensure the impact on the landscape is kept to a minimum.”

If the project gains planning consent one and a half hectares of broadleaf native woodland, similar to that currently found along the Southern Upland Way, will be planted reducing the visibility of the wind farm for locals and tourists using the historic route.

SUP recently welcomed Banks Renewables as its first ever patron, and the wind farm company has committed to donate £500 annually to help the SUP in its work.

Pip added: “Wind development has received criticism but it can support local communities by helping them make more of what they have and adapting to changing times.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/01/17/quixwood-wind-farm-developer-offers-to-plant-extra-woodland/